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< Back Julius Poitra Julius Poitra Arikara Induction Category: Year Inducted Athlete 2025 Julius Poitra grew up on the Fort Berthold Indian Reservation in the small town of White Shield, North Dakota. His Indian name, Swift Spirit, was given to him by his step mother Roberta Bear - sister to Robert Bear, the former Arikara Chief. Julius started running while in seventh grade at White Shield. Don Yellowbird, his cross country and track coach, was also his mentor and a father figure. Julius participated in football, basketball, track, and cross country. He excelled in running and won many high school races. During his senior year, Julius won the state two-mile outdoor and 3,000-meter indoor championships. Julius was ranked North Dakota's number one runner in track, and cross country, each year of high school and went on to All American while in college. After leaving White Shield, Julius attended Haskell Indian Junior College in Lawrence, Kansas. Julius competed in the track and cross country programs and was awarded the Tony CoffinAward. During his sophomore year of college, Julius was undefeated in cross-country winning the regional title and advancing to the national cross-country meet. He made All-American status running two miles with a foot injury. Julius ran the mile relay, two-mile run, steeple chase, as well as many indoor and outdoor track events. He was invited, and participated in, the Kansas University mile relay and during the summer ran in the national marathon and won the Team National Championship. He was recruited by several colleges and/or universities: University of Southern Alabama, University of Florida, Kansas State University, and North Dakota State University. After graduating from Haskell with a two-year degree, Julius enlisted in the U.S. Army to serve his country. He is a Desert-Storm veteran - serving from 1988 to 1993. After being honorably discharged, Julius returned to his home in White Shield and worked with students with special needs as well as coaching boys and girls track, cross country, and basketball for 25 years. After 25 years at White Shield School, Julius retired to enjoy the country life. He recently decided to come out of retirement to work for White Shield's Public Safety Department. Although he is back at work again, he still finds time to enjoy fishing, hunting, boating, and camping with his grandchildren. <Back

Gerald (Jerry) Gourneau Turtle Mountain Chippewa Induction Category: Year Inducted Trainer 2023 <Back Gerald (Jerry) Gourneau, Mukaday Maaingan (Black Wolf) from the Horse clan is from the Turtle Mountain Chippewa Reservation in Belcourt, North Dakota. Jerry holds a Master’s degree in Administration graduating from Northern State University in Aberdeen, SD. He has worked as a teacher, administrator, project coordinator, director, and self-employed horse trainer. Jerry’s desire for thoroughbred horse racing and training began at the age of 16 when his father Larry Sr. with brothers Bill and Dave Sr. later identifying as “Gourneau Brothers Racing” purchased their first horse named “Sima’s Award”. His passion for racing grew as he began to work at various racing circuits in the United States and Canada. Tracks he frequented are Turf Paradise, Delta Downs, Fairgrounds, Sam Houston and Lone Star Park, Century Mile, Fonner Park, and Assiniboia Downs. He began to perfect his skills and knowledge as a horsemen along with the love of horses and his family pushed him to do the very best he could in making his First Nations people proud. Jerry just completed three consecutive years as the leading trainer at Assiniboia Downs in Winnipeg, MB earning purse money of $1,850,050.00. The first leading trainer title came in 2019 and was successfully shared with his brother Dave Sr. The most memorable and meaningful times in horse racing are with family from Belcourt, ND and his wife Lyn Blackburde from Rainy River Manitou Rapids First Nation in Treaty 3 Ontario. Jerry was recently highlighted in a book published by the Manitoba Aboriginal Sport and Recreation Council celebrating the history of over 100 Indigenous athletes from Manitoba, Canada titled “A History of Excellence, The Untold Stories of Manitoba’s Indigenous Sport 2021”.

< Back Michael Thompson Michael Thompson Mohawk Induction Category: Year Inducted Athlete 2024 Michael “Mike” Thompson is a member of the Mohawk Nation and has lived, played and coached in Akwesasne for most of his life. He is one of the most decorated indoor box lacrosse goaltenders to ever play the game of box lacrosse, yet is kind, giving and humble to the core. Thompson played field lacrosse in high school and was an effective and intimidating defenseman. He began playing box lacrosse goalie at the age of 20 while playing in the Ontario Junior B Lacrosse league for the Akwesasne Lightening. He was a natural and quickly made a name for himself as one of the top goaltenders of his generation. He first played professional box lacrosse for the Ottawa Rebels and later enjoyed a professional career with the Buffalo Bandits of the National Lacrosse League where he won the NLL Championship in 2008. During the summers, Thompson played in the Ontario Major Series Lacrosse League, often called Senior A, with the Peterborough Lakes. He won two Mann Cup Canadian National Championships with the Lakers and was named MVP of the Championship series when they won in 2012. Winning a Mann Cup is considered the pinnacle of success in the lacrosse world and being awarded the Mike Kelley MVP trophy was one of the greatest honors of his life. Thompson also enjoyed success with the Iroquois Nationals Men’s Box Lacrosse team having competed three World Championships. Thompson retired from professional lacrosse in 2012 to focus on coaching his two sons who are also incredibly talented and dedicated lacrosse players. He currently resides in Akwesasne with his wife, two sons and his daughter. <Back

< Back The Richards/Rush Sisters The Richards/Rush Sisters Mvskoke Creek Induction Category: Year Inducted Athlete 2026 The Richards/Rush sisters have all competed and won national titles in the sport of competitive cheer. Competing at the highest level, they have trained countless hours for years to earn national titles at the All-Star National Cheerleaders Association (NCA) and The Summit. Gabrielle’s (Gabby) athletic career began in Miami, FL at Top Gun All Stars. While at Top Gun she earned three national titles. In her senior year, she moved to Tulsa, OK and competed on the Super Varsity team at Union High School. More than just the titles, Gabby’s athletic career set the bar for her younger sisters in the sport of cheer and inspired them to follow in her footsteps. Today, Gabby continues to inspire and coaches at Cheer Athletics Frisco. Giselle (Gigi) and Danielle (Dani) began tumbling training in Tulsa, OK at the ages of nine and ten at Luxe Athletics. In 2017, accomplished one of the most difficult of feats, by winning both an NCA title and The Summit. Gigi went on to cheer at the University of Oklahoma, and both cheered at the Worlds level (the highest level) at Cheer Athletics Plano, the largest cheer gym in the world. Isabelle (Izzy) began training at age nine. In 2021, she tried out for Cheer Athletics Plano. With Cheer Athletics Plano, she won NCA in 2024 and won The Summit in 2023 and 2024. In the 2024/2025 season she was placed on a Worlds level team, where she competes today. She was offered 15 college cheer scholarships but hopes to follow in her sister’s footsteps and cheer at the University of Oklahoma. Annabelle (Anna) is the youngest and has quite literally been cheering almost as long as she has been walking. Her sisters have taught her flying by putting her up in the air and teaching her flexibility. According to her coaches, she is the most flexible flyer at Cheer Athletics Plano, and fearless in the air. Anna has already won three NCA titles in her young career and placed third at The Summit in 2024 out of 63 teams. <Back

< Back Bryan Trottier Bryan Trottier Chippewa Cree Métis Induction Category: Year Inducted Athlete 2024 Bryan Trottier is Cree Métis from Val Marie, Saskatchewan and he was one of the National Hockey League's premier centremen. Trottier won six Stanley Cups as a player, including four-straight championships with the New York Islanders between 1980 and 1983, and two back-to-back in 1991 and 1992 with the Pittsburgh Penguins, and a seventh as an assistant coach with the Colorado Avalanche in 2001. Trottier began his hockey career playing for the Swift Current Broncos of the Western Canada Junior Hockey League during the seasons of 1972-1973 and 1973-1974. In the latter season, he scored 41 goals and 71 assists for a total of 112 points in 68 games. He finished his first season with league records for a rookie in assists (63) and points (95), earning the NHL's Calder Trophy awarded annually to the most outstanding newcomer. Playing in 77 games in the 1977-78 season, Trottier had 46 goals and 77 assists for a total of 123 points. During the 1978-79 season, Trottier compiled his best season statistics ever, scoring 47 goals and 87 assists for a total of 134 points, making him the league's top scorer and earning him the Hart Trophy as the NHL's most valuable player. Trottier was also the recipient of the Art Ross Trophy in 1979, and the Hart Memorial Trophy also in 1979. In 1980 he won the Conn Smythe Trophy as the most outstanding performer in NHL post-season play. In 1989 he won the King Clancy Memorial Trophy. In 1998 he was honored with the National Aboriginal Achievement Award. Trottier was selected to nine NHL All Star Games and had his number raised to the rafters by the New York Islanders on October 20, 2001. He shares the NHL single period record of scoring six points including four goals and two assists and is one of only eight NHL players to have multiple five goal games. After his playing career was over, he was hired as the head coach of the New York Rangers for a season. He also worked as head coach for the Portland Pirates of the AHL for the 1997-1998 season, and he was also a Colorado Avalanche assistant coach. The Avalanche won the Stanley Cup in 2001. In 2014 he was an assistant coach for the Buffalo Sabres. Trottier won countless awards and is a member of the Hockey Hall of Fame, the Saskatchewan Sports Hall of Fame, and the Canadian Sports Hall of Fame. In 2017, he was named in the “Top 100 Greatest Players in the NHL.” In 2022, he authored his memoir, “All Roads Home: A Life On and Off the Ice” and it has become a national bestseller. <Back

< Back Abby Roque Abby Roque Ojibwe Induction Category: Year Inducted Athlete 2024 Abby Roque grew up in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan and is Ojibwe from Wahnapitae First Nation. She grew up playing boys hockey in Michigan, and competed in two U18 Women’s Worlds winning a gold and silver medal. She then went on to play NCAA Division 1 hockey at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Roque and the Wisconsin Badgers won a National Championship in 2019, and multiple WCHA league championships. Individually she won WCHA Rookie of the Year, WCHA First Team, WCHA Player of the Year, and was Top-3 for the Patty Kazmaier Award. She graduated from the Business School at the University of Wisconsin with a degree in marketing. She made the USA national team in 2019 and has been a mainstay ever since. In her USA Hockey career she was named the 2020 USA Hockey’s Women’s Player of the Year. She has also competed in three IIHF Women’s World Championships, winning Gold once and Silver twice. She was the first indigenous player to play for Team USA in the Olympics, winning a silver medal in the Beijing 2022 Olympics. <Back

Pine Creek Frist Nation 282 Brian Chrupalo Pine Creek Frist Nation 282 Induction Category: Year Inducted Official 2023 <Back Brian Chrupalo was born and raised in the city of Winnipeg. Brian grew up in Manitoba housing that is a low-income housing complex in the cities north end. Brian is married to Lori and they have raised three adult boys, Tanner and twins Andrew and Carter. Brian is the first Treaty Status Canadian (registered to 282 Pine Creek First Nation) to work in the Canadian Football League (CFL) as an on field official. Brian has worked seventeen seasons in the CFL. During his career he has worked 278 games, he has been assigned numerous playoff assignments and worked in five Grey Cup championships. Brian was part of the 2017 season CFL/NFL officials exchange program which saw CFL officials work NFL camps and a preseason game in Jacksonville Florida. Since September 2021, Brian has been learning the Ojibwe language by taking virtual classes, this provided the unique opportunity on September 2022 to allow Brian to announce all of the game’s penalties in Ojibwe and English during the truth and reconciliation game. This was the first time in the history of the Canadian Football League that penalties were announced by an on field official in an indigenous language. Brian will announce the penalties again during the same game for the 2023 season When Brian isn’t working as a Staff Sergeant for the Winnipeg Police Service or working a CFL game he can be found volunteering as the Treasurer on the Board of Directors for the Bear Clan Patrol Inc., an indigenous community-based organization. Brian was instrumental in obtaining funding for a food hamper program during Covid-19. This program saw four hundred families receive healthy food every week for a year. Brian will be introducing marginalized indigenous youth, opportunities to participate in football camps in 2023.

< Back Jim Caldwell Jim Caldwell Menominee Induction Category: Year Inducted Athlete 2026 Jim Caldwell won a gold medal at the 1961 National AAU boxing finals in the 139 lbs. division in Pocatello, ID. He joined the U.S. team on a European tour to compete against outstanding amateur boxers. He boxed in England, Ireland, and Scotland. At age 21 he compiled a 32-6 amateur record against top national competition. He won four straight district Golden Gloves championships on the state level. He participated in the national Golden Gloves finals for three years and was a silver medalist in 1961. Caldwell began boxing at aged 17 for the Menominee Boxing Club under the tutelage of 2026 NAIAHF inductee Alex Askenette Sr. He was named outstanding novice boxer at the 1958 Fond du Lac (WI) district Golden Gloves, outstanding fighter at the 1960 Rockford (IL) tournament, and named winner of the Barney Rose sportsmanship trophy at the 1961 national Golden Gloves tournament. <Back

< Back Dane Evans Dane Evans Wichita Induction Category: Year Inducted Athlete 2026 Dane Evans is a former professional quarterback known for his standout career at the University of Tulsa and his success in the Canadian Football League (CFL). Born in Chickasha, Oklahoma, Evans made a name for himself at Sanger High School in Texas before enrolling at Tulsa in 2012. Evans became the Golden Hurricane’s starting quarterback in 2013 and went on to set multiple school records. By the end of his college career, he held program records for career passing yards (11,680), passing touchdowns (84), completions (904), and attempts (1,567). In 2015, he threw for a school-record 4,332 yards and 25 touchdowns, ranking among the national leaders in several passing categories. He capped off his collegiate career with a dominant performance in the 2016 Miami Beach Bowl, earning MVP honors after throwing for over 300 yards and five touchdowns in a win over Central Michigan. Despite going undrafted in the 2017 NFL Draft, Evans signed briefly with the Philadelphia Eagles before making his mark in the CFL. He joined the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in 2018, initially serving as a backup before taking over as starter in 2019. That season, he passed for 3,754 yards and 21 touchdowns, leading Hamilton to a 15-3 record and a Grey Cup appearance. Over five CFL seasons with Hamilton and later the BC Lions, Evans amassed 9,636 passing yards and 49 touchdowns, plus 10 rushing scores. In 2023, Evans joined the BC Lions and played a key role as a reliable backup and spot starter. He announced his retirement from professional football on January 1, 2024, ending his playing career on his own terms. Transitioning into coaching, Evans served as a graduate assistant at North Texas and coached at the high school level before being named Assistant Quarterbacks Coach and Pass Game Coordinator at Texas State in 2025. His leadership, football IQ, and passion for the game continue to shape his promising coaching career. <Back

< Back Ross Anderson Ross Anderson Cheyenne and Arapaho Induction Category: Year Inducted Athlete 2023 How did an adopted, full blooded Native American son become one of the most successful speed skiers in the world? The Native American alpine speed skier and racer with the fastest time in the Western Hemisphere did it through hard work, desire, perseverance and a ton of ability. Growing up in the mountains of Durango, CO Ross Anderson has held the record for the fastest American ever on skis. His 154.06 miles per hour (247.930KPH) was achieved in 2006. Born in New Mexico, Ross was adopted into an Anglo-American family. At three years old, Ross began learning the winter sport that put him into the history books. He was a six time national champion, and a member of the US Speed Skiing Team. Ross’ rise was a solitary one as the only competitor of color on this intensely competitive circuit. Not only did Ross set records becoming one of the top competitors in the world, including number two in 20O1 and number three in 2005, but he also understood the need to give back to this sport and all the youngsters who consider Ross their role model. The desire to give back is understandable considering that no Native American has ever come close to achieving the international stature that Ross has consistently earned while setting the highest standards in a remarkable career. In 2022 Ross was the featured athlete in a national television commercial produced by the New Mexico Travel Bureau that was released November 1, 2022. His unparalleled accomplishments continue to radiate hope for literally thousands of inspired youths, especially those of color who see that their dreams of standing atop a podium one day truly can come true. <Back

< Back Duane “Dewey” Jacobs Duane “Dewey” Jacobs Cayuga, Wolf Clan Induction Category: Year Inducted Athlete/Coach 2026 Duane ”Dewey” Jacobs was one of the Indigenous pioneers in the NLL and perhaps at all levels of lacrosse that he competed in. He is still one of the few NLL Indigenous offensive players to reach 400 points. Like many young boys Dewey began playing lacrosse as a five-year-old on the Six Nations of the Grand River Territory with the Six Nations Minor Lacrosse Association. As he aged he competed at a continually developing level toward being elite. During the 1988-89 season he played with the Owen Sound North Stars in the Ontario Senior B Lacrosse Association. He was named the League Rookie of the Year and was a member of the 1989 President’s Cup national championship team. In 1991-92 he played for the North Shore Indians in the West Coast Senior B League and was named the League MVP. One of the highlights in his aspiring career was playing for the Six Nations Chiefs. The Chiefs were three-peat Sr. A Mann Cup national champions between 1994-1996. Duane’s professional team career began in 1993 in the MILL/NLL with the Detroit Turbos. Beginning in 1995 he would play for the Rochester Knighthawks for eight seasons. The Knighthawks were NLL champions in 1997. During his time in Rochester the team made four championship final appearances. In 2003 he began an 11-season tenure with the Buffalo Bandits. Each season the team qualified for the playoffs. He was named to the Second Team All-Pro for four consecutive seasons from 1997-2000. During his final season of summer box lacrosse in 2003, he was on the Kitchener Kodiaks President’s Cup national championship team. He was also a part of the Iroquois Nationals World Box Lacrosse silver medalists. At the end of his playing days Dewey was a five-time national champion and one-time professional champion. He then pursued his passion to be coach of the next generations. Jacobs was an assistant coach for the Buffalo Bandits from 2004-2006, as well as 2010, and he was the head coach of the Minnesota Swarm from 2007-2009. As the Swarm’s head coach, his team had a record of 25-23. In both 2007 and 2008, Jacobs coached the Swarm to back-to-back playoff appearances. He was the Director of Player Development for the Rochester Knighthawks for two seasons between 2017 and 2019. He was the Iroquois Nationals head box lacrosse coach that earned silver medals in the 2007 and 2011 seasons. Dewey was inducted into the Rochester Knighthawks inaugural Hall of Fame class in 2009, the Ontario Lacrosse Hall of Fame player category in 2016, and the Canadian Lacrosse Hall of Fame in the player category in 2019. <Back

< Back Drew Bucktooth Drew Bucktooth Onondaga Induction Category: Year Inducted Athlete 2022 Drew Bucktooth is a lacrosse and hockey player from the Onondaga Nation in upstate NY. As a member of the Syracuse Stars hockey team he played against the highest level and won back to back state championships, a national championship and a world championship and was MVP of the world championship game. As a 16 year old, Drew was selected for the United States National team but was drafted and played in the OHL instead but still played for Team USA in international competitions and was named the team captain. In lacrosse, the first goal Drew ever scored was on his own goalie, but he made sure to do it correctly after that. As an eighth grader Drew led the varsity lacrosse team in scoring, as a ninth grader he led his league in scoring. As a 10th grader Drew once again led his team in scoring and earned All American, one of only two lacrosse players in NY state history to earn the tile of All American as a 10th grader. When Drew was 15 he competed with the Iroquois Nationals in the U19 world lacrosse championships in Japan, although Drew was the youngest player there, he led the tournament in scoring and was named to the All World Team. A few years later the Lacrosse World Championships were held in Australia, and again Drew was named to the All World Team and has the distinction as the only person in history to make the U19 All World Team twice. As a member of the Onondaga RedHawks, his team captured the Presidents cup twice, which is the Canadian National box lacrosse championship. These days Drew can still be found in and out of hockey rinks and lacrosse fields coaching his four sons, Blake, Gavin, Dylan and Cruze. <Back